Act leader, David Seymour, who has a member’s bill in the ballot to legalise voluntary euthanasia, is opposed to a conscience vote on the matter. He calls it a “little wrinkle in our political system that allows a small amount of people to veto a large amount of people.” “I do think that’s undemocratic and Read more
“The current law may not be perfect but it provides a clear bright line. Moving the bright line of prohibition would create far more problems than it would ever solve.” This was the conclusion of the oral submission made by Dr John Kleinsman to the Health Select Committee on behalf of the The Nathaniel Centre, Read more
The family of a depressed New Zealand man who committed suicide in Sydney have expressed alarm over the ease with which he was able to order and import lethal drugs using information from a pro-voluntary euthanasia group. The drug used is believed to be the same one involved in a police investigation in New Zealand Read more
Recently, a lady told me that she had just lost her brother who died suddenly, three days after a fall on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, the circumstances of his death leave some doubt as to the exact cause of death. Is it due to his cancer, discovered a few days earlier? Is it related to his Read more
New Zealand’s Human Rights Commission has given the “orange light” to assisted suicide. However, it say the government should proceed with caution and only if strict safeguards are in place. The Commission recommends an opt out clause for medical staff and pharmacists who do not want to take part in the process should assisted suicide Read more
Voluntary euthanasia would be fraught with problems and New Zealand doesn’t need it, doctors have told a select committee. The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMAA) made the comments at the second day of the Health Select Committee’s hearings. The association said it backed patient autonomy, but sizeable complexities were involved in determining whether patients had Read more
The insinuation that the views of people with a faith perspective don’t count or count less is nothing more than an example of bigotry says the Director of The Nathaniel Bioethics Centre, Dr John Kleinsman. He is surprised and appalled at the disingenuous tactics being employed by assisted suicide supporters, saying they are a smoke screen, a Read more
The Nathaniel Centre has produced an 8 minute video, “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Real Life Implications”. It is designed to stimulate discussion and help viewers appreciate the complexity of the issue by raising questions that are often not explored in the overly simplistic and emotive way that the debate is too often presented by New Zealand media. In the Read more
An ecumenical body comprising the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches of New Zealand is stressing its opposition to the introduction of “physician assisted suicide.” The ecumenical body advises the churches on the “spiritual, ethical and cultural issues connected to biotechnology and related issues”. In making its submission to the Health Select Committee, the InterChurch Bioethics Council (ICBC), accepted that Read more
“The experience of those countries that have already legalised euthanasia shows that the demand for euthanasia cannot be limited to a carefully defined group,” say the New Zealand Catholic Bishops in their most recent statement on euthanasia. “In the Netherlands euthanasia was initially only available to dying adults with terminal illness who were able to Read more